By Abigail Lynn Davidson
DJ Afrosia began as a college radio DJ here at KXUA, soon becoming a staple in the local scene. She’s performed several local events, including FORMAT Festival. I got to catch up with her after her opening set at the festival’s South of Oz stage.
Abby
You used to be a DJ at KXUA, so what was it like creating a professional DJ career out of that?
DJ Afrosia
It was really insane because to be honest with you, starting out at KXUA, I remember just passing by the booth at the Union and being like oh, I can be a DJ! And you’re talking to someone who’s wanted to be a DJsince they were elementary school, so to see I could do that, I was like, oh, I’m in.
I was in broadcasting, and it’s TV based, for some reason. So, to be at the radio station, to start my own show and then get calls to do gigs, I’m just like, “hold on. You know, I’m only playing music from my iPad, right?”. I’m just playing my favorite songs, so for me to be able to become a professional DJ from KXUA, I feel like that was my graduation.
Abby
Yeah. How was that? Like, did you just jump straight into it?
DJ Afrosia
Well, it started from, I got a call, a call into the station. A friend of mine. He literally reached out and was just like, yo, are you DJ? I DJ around here. You should come to one of my sets! At that time, I wasn’t old enough to even go out, to even go to the bar, and go to his events, where he would DJ! And, so once I became of age, I got to go out and see him spin. And he kind of just showed me just how much that like how easy it was, but also, I was basically already doing it. He’s like you’re already DJing and you have the music, you just have to learn how to use this controller use this equipment. From that moment on, I really just kind of started literally getting gigs.
My first gig was at Starlight Skatium. The radio station teamed up with Starlight to do a series where DJs from the radio station will host a Thursday night at the skating rink.
Abby
So, you’ve already talked about this, but have you always wanted to get involved in the music industry? Was that always the goal?
DJ Afrosia
To be real. I never thought I was going to be in it, but I do know music has always been my passion. I didn’t know that I would be professionally playing music like really ever. Getting into broadcasting. I was like, I want to be on the radio, so I always assumed it would just be like, you know, behind the scenes in the booth, kind of like at KXUA. But to know that it’s kind of transformed from the booth to like South of Oz format is, wow, I would have never guessed.
Abby
You said while you’re up there, that was your first festival. What was that? What was that like compared to playing more local venues?
DJ Afrosia
That, you know, see, this is my favorite part about FORMAT because I came last year, it really felt like I was performing at a festival, but also a festival for all my friends and family. So it was not like the scariest thing or like, in the middle of Austin, TX, or somewhere, where I don’t know anybody. Here, you know, it actually felt like I was at home because I’m on stage. I’m seeing people like “I did your New Year’s party.”, “You’re my DJ friend.”, “That’s my mom.”, like, I’m just seeing all these people I know just out here to support me.
Abby
That’s awesome.
DJ Afrosia
It felt like home.
Abby
If you weren’t a DJ right now, what do you think you’d be doing with your career?
DJ Afrosia
Wow, OK if. Honestly, if I wasn’t a DJ. I would be in marketing right now.
From doing promotions there [at KXUA] and just realizing I’ve done a lot of photography and videography, just doing that when I worked at the station, I would apply the festivals around and I would go and do press for them, do photography and videography which I learned in my broadcasting degree. I’ve always wanted to be a traveling, like a music journalist. Just travel around, just do that or literally just do marketing for an artist.